Think Like a Dog (2020)
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: Gil Junger
Stars: Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Gabriel Bateman, Madison Horcher, Minghao Hou
Have you ever wished you could talk to your pet? Well, anything is paw-sible this summer as Josh Duhamel and Megan Fox star in Think Like a Dog, the whimsical family comedy about a boy, his dog, and the science project that will change all their lives forever.
Twelve-year-old whizz-kid Oliver is a tech prodigy who accidentally creates a telepathic connection between him and his furry best friend Henry when his middle school science fair experiment goes awry. The new bond brings Oliver (Gabriel Bateman) and Henry (Todd Stashwick) even closer together, as they join forces to solve problems at school and begin to rekindle his parents (Josh Duhamel, Megan Fox) marriage, with hilarious consequences.
But when a cyber-businessman (Kunal Nayyar) arrives on the scene who will stop at nothing to get hold of the breakthrough technology, Oliver and Henry are going to need the help of a crack team of adorable pooches to save the day…
Think like a Dog a new feel good family film from writer-director Gil Junger, who mixes science into a Doctor Doolittle style adventure, which allows child inventor Oliver the ability to communicate with his dog.
The main story revolves around the relationship between Oliver and his dog Henry, who he now finds that he can communicate with. This creates some humour thanks to a smart playful script and the energetic delivery. Gabriel does an excellent job as Oliver, although he has already proven himself to be a young actor to watch out for with a penchant towards horror having already featured in films such as the Lights Out (2016) and the Childs Play (2019) remake. Once again delivering a great performance as a child prodigy, he manages to show a maturity to his character, whilst still maintaining a childlike vulnerability and awkwardness when it comes to relationships which shows his more comedic abilities.
When it comes to the film comedy however, it is Todd Stashwick who creates the most laughs, as he delivers the scrips quick quips with a boundless energy as the internal voice of Henry. The constant advise from Henry for Oliva is funny, however his love advise and explanation of dogs in general during a walk in the park which is both funny and a brilliant reflection of the connection between them.
The strong cast surprisingly reunites Josh Duhamel and Megan Fox who are both perhaps best known for their roles in the Transformers franchise. Here however they swap the threat of alien robots and CGI special effect for a more grounded challenge of parenting and a struggling marriage. Both Josh and Megan put in good performances. Josh excelling with some light-hearted comedy moments, whilst Megan delivers a more serious role, proving once again that she is a good actress when a director chooses to do more than just sexualise her performance. Whilst they both do well with the roles, which focuses primarily on the drama of their relationship to add a deeper message to the film, they are both underused and which the film would have benefited from this having been explored a bit further.
Another surprising cast and one of the more interesting character developments is Kunal Nayyar as genius inventor Mr. Mills. Although fans of The Big Bang Theory (2007 – 2019)may be used to Kunal playing a genius, Kunal shows a different side as the confident and charming Mr. Mills. Kunal plays the role surprisingly straight for most of the film, doing well in a more serious performance which we wouldn’t expect, although the change of character later in the film with a more comical timing is just as good and adds the more comical side we were perhaps expecting.
The films pace is reflective of the up-tempo pop rock soundtrack, which is perfect for younger kids as it never seems to momentum with the focus constantly changing. Unfortunately, the film seems to throw too much into the convoluted sub plots which are not fully developed, but with a predictability and some often cringe worthy turn of events, it somehow manages to fall into place by the end. Had the film focused more on the comical relationships between Oliver and his dog Henry, and the drama with his parents it would have played more to the film’s obvious strengths.
Think Like a Dog is a fun film which continues to move at a brisk pace throughout as it interchanges between sub stories, so it is never dull. Whilst the clever satirical humour of the script with Todd Stashwick voicing the dog of Henry worked brilliantly, the more childish toilet and slapstick humour involving the dogs will keep the younger kids laughing. Whilst some of the humour may be aimed at a younger audience, Think Like a Dog has enough here for the whole family to enjoy.
Think Like a Dog is now available on Digital Download and DVD 20 July from Lionsgate UK and on Amazon.
Its a Dog's Life!
Movie title: Think Like A Dog
Movie description: A 12-year-old tech prodigy's science experiment goes awry and he forges a telepathic connection with his dog. The duo join forces and use their unique perspectives on life to comically overcome complications of family and school.
Date published: July 20, 2020
Country: UK
Duration: 1h 31min
Director(s): Gil Junger
Actor(s): Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Gabriel Bateman
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family
Summary
Have you ever wished you could talk to your pet? Well, anything is paw-sible this summer as Josh Duhamel and Megan Fox star in Think Like a Dog, the whimsical family comedy about a boy, his dog, and the science project that will change all their lives forever.
Published in various websites, Philip is a reviewer who is best known for his interviews and media coverage of independent projects including; films, books, theatre and live events. Always on the lookout for something different to cover!
